domestic donkey
The domestic donkey is a hoofed mammal in the family Equidae, the same family as the horse. It derives from the African wild ass, ''Equus africanus'', and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, ''Equus africanus asinus'', or as a ...
archipelago
An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands, or sometimes a sea containing a small number of scattered islands.
Examples of archipelagos include: the Indonesian Arc ...
in the Atlantic off the coast of southern
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
. There are approximately 200 of the donkeys; almost all are on the island of Fuerteventura, with a small number on Lanzarote. The name derives from ''majorero'', a demonym for the people of Fuerteventura. The Majorera is a small donkey of African origin, and is the only equine breed of the archipelago.
History
The Majorera was introduced to the Canaries at the time of the Spanish conquest in the fifteenth century. It is present in all six municipalities of Fuerteventura – Antigua,
Betancuria
Betancuria is a small town and a municipality in the western part of the island of Fuerteventura in the Province of Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain. The population is 811 (2013),La Oliva
La Oliva () is a town and a municipality in the northern part of the island of Fuerteventura in the Province of Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain. The population is 25,083 (2013),Pájara
Pájara is a municipality in the southwestern portion of the island of Fuerteventura in the Province of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands as well as the name of its largest town. Its population is 20,931 (2013),Puerto del Rosario
Puerto del Rosario () is a town and a municipality in the eastern part of the island of Fuerteventura in the Las Palmas province in the Canary Islands. It has been the capital of Fuerteventura since 1860. The town's population is 29,160 (2013),
and
Tuineje
Tuineje is a town and a municipality in the southern part of the island of Fuerteventura in the Province of Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain. The population is 13,946 (2013),Maxorata, the northern part of the island. Of the donkeys in
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria (, ; ), also Grand Canary Island, is the third-largest and second-most-populous island of the Canary Islands, an archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Northwest Africa which is part of Spain. the island had a population of that ...
, it is estimated that about half are of this breed, and about 50 are thought to be in
El Hierro
El Hierro, nicknamed ''Isla del Meridiano'' (the "Meridian Island"), is the second-smallest and farthest-south and -west of the Canary Islands (an autonomous community of Spain), in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa, with a populatio ...
; a small number are on Lanzarote, and a few on the other islands.
It is well adapted to the volcanic semi-desert conditions, the high temperatures, and the low rainfall of Fuerteventura, and was used by the islanders for riding and for all kinds of agricultural work: as a pack animal, as a draught animal, and for animal traction tasks such as ploughing. As with other donkey breeds, the mechanisation of agriculture in the twentieth century led to a rapid fall in numbers. In 2009 the population was reported as 141; at the end of 2013 the total number recorded was 27.
From 1997 the Majorera was listed by the
Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food ( es, Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, MAPA), is the department of the Government of Spain responsible for proposing and carrying out the government policy on agricultural, livest ...
, the Spanish ministry of agriculture, as "under special protection, in danger of extinction". A conservation programme under the
University of Barcelona
The University of Barcelona ( ca, Universitat de Barcelona, UB; ; es, link=no, Universidad de Barcelona) is a public university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia, in Spain. With 63,000 students, it is one of the biggest universities i ...
was started in 2000. The
conservation status
The conservation status of a group of organisms (for instance, a species) indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservatio ...
of the breed was listed as "critical" by the
FAO
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...
in 2007 and as "endangered" by the
SAVE Foundation
Save, SAVE, or Saved may refer to:
Places
*Save (Garonne), a river in southern France
*Save River (Africa), a river in Zimbabwe and Mozambique
*Sava, a river in Eastern Europe also known as Save
*Savè, Benin, a commune and city
* Save, Govuro ...
in 2008. Two associations are involved in efforts to conserve the breed: the in Fuerteventura and the in Gran Canaria; in 2019 there were 29 jacks and 112 jennies recorded in the
herd-book
A breed registry, also known as a herdbook, studbook or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders ...
.
Characteristics
The Majorera is a small donkey of African type. It usually grey, ranging from pale to dark grey, and may also be brown. It has
primitive markings
Primitive markings are a group of hair coat markings and qualities seen in several equine species, including horses, donkeys, and asses. In horses, they are associated with primitive breeds, though not limited to such breeds. The markings are ...
: a darker dorsal stripe and shoulder-stripe, and zebra-striping on the legs. It stands some at the withers, and weighs about .